Mt Shasta Summit & Ski Descent
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- Push Your Limits - Take your backcountry skiing to the next level on this giant Cascades volcano!
- Routes - We offer trips up and down multiple routes including Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek. Your guides will choose the best route based on weather, climbing conditions and skiing conditions.
- Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - Including crampons, ice axe arrest and glacier rope travel
- Summit Attempt - This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.
- Ski Descent - Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow, racking up over 6,000' of vertical!
This program requires at least 2 participants to run.
Looking for a Private or One Day Summit & Ski? Go to Mt Shasta Summit & Ski - Private.
Here's the schedule for the 3 DAY PROGRAM:
- Day 1 - Arrival & Tour to Camp - 8:00 am meetup with your guide in town. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. Your guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any final adjustments before we caravan to the trailhead. The rest of the day will be spent touring to camp and learning about camp craft.
- Day 2 - Ski Mountaineering Skills Training - We'll get an early start on the day, having breakfast with hot coffee or tea, and prepare any food for the day before gearing up and heading out. In this course we'll cover:
- Ski Mountaineering Gear
- Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and
- Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
- Crampon Techniques
- Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
- Descending techniques for mountaineering
- Basics of rope team travel
- Day 3 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am quick breakfast followed by an early alpine start. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags, and descend to the trailhead.
Here's the schedule for the 2 DAY PROGRAM:
- Day 1 - Tour to Camp & Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day then tour to and set up camp. 12:00pm ski mountaineering skills review. 5:00pm Dinner and bed.
- Day 2 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am early alpine start with a quick breakfast. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags and descend to the trailhead.
The 2 Day program is fast paced and the expectation is that participants have experience with basic ski mountaineering skills. If you need to acquire these skills during the program, then the 3 Day program covers these and will be perfect for you!
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Including ice axe, crampon, and basic rope skills are encouraged, but not required. Build those skills during the program by choosing a 3 Day Summit and Ski or attend our Ski Mountaineering Skills course prior to attending and spend more time climbing and skiing on Day 2
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest Permit
- Mt Shasta Summit Pass ($25)
- Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
- SlingFin Tent
- Stove & Fuel
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Transportation
- Ski & Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear - Beacon, Shovel, Probe
- Ski Mountaineering Gear - Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
- Guide Gratuities
Shasta Ski Mountaineering Gear List
- Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Ski/Split Touring & Camping Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from:
Know Before you go
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
- Custom Scheduling: Choose your dates and plan around your availability.
- Tailored Experiences: Itineraries and objectives are adjusted to suit your goals, experience, and fitness.
- Cost-Effective for Most Large Groups: Private programs are typically more cost-effective for groups of 3 or more.
- Flexibility Comes at a Price: For groups of 1-2, private programs are generally more expensive.
- AIARE Courses: AIARE course pricing is based on a group of 6. Running these as a private program with fewer than 6 participants will increase the per-person cost.
SCHEDULED PROGRAMS
- Fixed Dates & Costs: Scheduled programs have set dates, itineraries, objectives, and pricing.
- Great for Solo or Small Groups: Ideal for individuals or small groups looking to share costs with others.
- Affordable for 1-2 People: Scheduled programs are typically less expensive for groups of 1-2.
- Less Flexibility: Dates fill quickly, and group programs require adapting to the skill level and pace of all participants
- Group Atmosphere: Meet others with similar interests and make some new backcountry buddies!
Note: Any scheduled program can also be run as a private program with customized dates and rates.
Both options offer exceptional guiding and experiences. Choose what works best for you!
Day 1
8:00 am Meet your guide at the trailhead. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. The guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any last minute adjustments needed. The guide will conduct a Trailhead Departure Check/Beacon Check.
8:30 am Ascend to camp and build camp.
12:00pm Skills review. Prior experience is helpful, as we will provide a review of crampons, ice axe arrest and glacier rope travel.
5:00pm Dinner and bed. We’ll review the plan for the following day, pack what we can to prepare and get to bed early to set ourselves up for an alpine start for the summit attempt.
Day 2
Alpine Start. Your guides will set the time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast.
Summit Attempt. This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.
Ski Descent. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow!
Packing Up Camp and Return to Trailhead. When we get back to camp, we’ll break it down, pack up our bags and descend to the trailhead. We’ll aim to be down by early afternoon.
We'll tackle the following objectives and skills:
- Push Your Limits - Take your backcountry skiing to the next level on this giant Cascades volcano!
- Routes - We offer trips up and down multiple routes including Avalanche Gulch, West Face, Brewer Creek, Clear Creek. Your guides will choose the best route based on weather, climbing conditions and skiing conditions.
- Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - Including crampons, ice axe arrest and glacier rope travel
- Summit Attempt - This will be a long day, gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes.
- Ski Descent - Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the variations holding the best snow, racking up over 6,000' of vertical!
This program requires at least 2 participants to run.
Looking for a Private or One Day Summit & Ski? Go to Mt Shasta Summit & Ski - Private.
Here's the schedule for the 3 DAY PROGRAM:
- Day 1 - Arrival & Tour to Camp - 8:00 am meetup with your guide in town. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day. Your guide will discuss the route up to camp and we'll make any final adjustments before we caravan to the trailhead. The rest of the day will be spent touring to camp and learning about camp craft.
- Day 2 - Ski Mountaineering Skills Training - We'll get an early start on the day, having breakfast with hot coffee or tea, and prepare any food for the day before gearing up and heading out. In this course we'll cover:
- Ski Mountaineering Gear
- Ice Axe Techniques including Self Arrest and
- Team Arrest (for Glacier Travel)
- Crampon Techniques
- Mountaineering efficiency including the Rest Step
- Descending techniques for mountaineering
- Basics of rope team travel
- Day 3 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am quick breakfast followed by an early alpine start. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags, and descend to the trailhead.
Here's the schedule for the 2 DAY PROGRAM:
- Day 1 - Tour to Camp & Ski Mountaineering Skills Review - 8:00am meetup with your guide at the trailhead. We'll do a quick gear check and review the plan for the day then tour to and set up camp. 12:00pm ski mountaineering skills review. 5:00pm Dinner and bed.
- Day 2 -Summit Attempt 3:00-5:00am early alpine start with a quick breakfast. Your guides will set the start time based on warming for the day and the weather forecast. Prepare for a long day, where we gaining over 4,000’ of elevation over various snow surfaces and steep slopes. Once we reach our high point, we’ll descend the route and ski the zones holding the best snow! We’ll break down camp, pack up our bags and descend to the trailhead.
The 2 Day program is fast paced and the expectation is that participants have experience with basic ski mountaineering skills. If you need to acquire these skills during the program, then the 3 Day program covers these and will be perfect for you!
Here are the skills and fitness you'll need for your course:
- Expert Resort Riding Skills - Including steep and consequential off-piste terrain in challenging snow conditions.
- Intermediate Touring Experience - Including efficient gear management and skinning, transition technique, with 20+ days of backcountry experience.
- Basic Ski Mountaineering Skills - Including ice axe, crampon, and basic rope skills are encouraged, but not required. Build those skills during the program by choosing a 3 Day Summit and Ski or attend our Ski Mountaineering Skills course prior to attending and spend more time climbing and skiing on Day 2
- Strong Fitness - Able to spend a long, active day outside, moving uphill at 1,000’ per hour for durations of 1-1.5 hours between breaks. Participants should be able to hike 8-10 miles, climbing 2,500 - 3,500 vertical feet throughout the course of the day. People with strong fitness typically have a strenuous workout 3-4 days a week.
Here's what's included with your trip:
- Experienced AMGA Trained Guide
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest Permit
- Mt Shasta Summit Pass ($25)
- Ropes & Gear - for ski mountaineering training
- SlingFin Tent
- Stove & Fuel
- Group Safety Gear - your guide will be equipped with snow science tools and a first aid kit
- Wag Bags - for human waste disposal in with compliance 'Leave No Trace' principles
- Meals
- Transportation
- Ski & Splitboard Gear
- Avalanche Gear - Beacon, Shovel, Probe
- Ski Mountaineering Gear - Ice Axe, Crampons, Climbing Harness
- Guide Gratuities
Shasta Ski Mountaineering Gear List
- Avalanche & Ski Mountaineering Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from Blackbird
- Ski/Split Touring & Camping Gear - Come prepared with your own gear or rent from:
Epic Reviews From Adventurers
- Rated 5 out of 5 starsHighly recommend skiing Mt Shasta with Blackbird!
I highly recommend skiing Mt. Shasta with Zeb and Blackbird (or signing up for any of the company’s other trips and courses). Zeb has mastered his craft, balancing instruction, safety, and fun with the social intuition that only the best guides manage. And Blackbird is the kind of company that knows your first name when you call them. They offer really fun trips and well-planned versions of the usual skills clinics/courses (lift accessed avy rescue). Again, I highly recommend.
Ted D. - Rated 5 out of 5 starsAmazing experience climbing Mt Shasta!
I had an amazing experience climbing Mt Shasta with Blackbird! This was my first mountaineering experience, so I came into it with a limited skill set. My guide, Jason, was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with my rookie mountaineering skill level. He took the time to teach me all the necessary skills and made sure I practiced and felt comfortable with these prior to summit day. The trip was over Memorial Day weekend, so I was expecting quite a crowd on the mountain. Prior to leaving town, Jason suggested an alternate route that would be slightly steeper, but less crowded than the traditional route most climbers would be taking. This was possibly the best decision of the weekend, as the route we took was totally deserted! It felt like we had the whole mountain to ourselves, and really made the climb even better. All in all, this trip was incredible and I can't wait for the next one! I'll definitely be using Blackbird again for future trips
Hanna H. - Rated 5 out of 5 starsExcellent guide, couldn't be happier!
Fantastic Trip. Good office communication, excellent guide who was continuously sharing tidbits of information about the mountain and technique. Couldn't be happier with the experience
John M. - Rated 5 out of 5 starsSo much knowledge - an amazing learning experience!
Blackbird is who I trust to guide me up and down a mountain safely, and to have a great time doing so. Spending time on Shasta with Zeb was an amazing learning experience. He has so much knowledge to share about all aspects of the experience. And I really appreciated his ability to adjust the plans for all sorts of changing circumstances to continue to maximize the experience. I'm looking forward to my next adventure with Blackbird Mountain Guides. Thanks again!
Chris S.
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